Where to start with a £500-£600 Budget?

[EntropyStar]

Hi all,

Long time lurker/first time poster here!

I'm currently studying for a physics degree and I'm currently doing a large set of modules on observational astronomy. I'm very clued up on astronomy but absolutely rubbish when it comes to picking a telescope or knowing where to start. I have a healthy budget of around £500-£600 to get a good decent starter setup. I know full well I’m not going to get everything in a setup at that price and I'm happy to live with that.

So if you had my budget, what would you recommend as a good overall setup (eyepieces, mounts, scope etc)? I'll be mainly using it for planetary observation, lunar observation and viewing binaries. I expect the deep space objects to look no more than a tenuous silvery filament in the eyepiece and I’m fully aware how amateur scope views aren't like the advertisers tell/dupe you.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, ideally I'd like a tracking mount as I really struggled with my friends naff Celestron scope (cost him £40 and had non-moveable mount held in place by two screws) when I borrowed it over the spring. I'd ideally like to spend time viewing things as opposed to wandering around in the dark for hours trying to find something! Any pictures would be really great too!

Thank you for you time

EDIT:....Just realised I've added this into the wrong thread! Doh...any chance it can be moved to the beginners section?

[John]

No problem

Welcome to SGL

EDIT:....Just realised I've added this into the wrong thread! Doh...any chance it can be moved to the beginners section?

[redgiantjohn]

Hi and welcome

If I had to buy a first scope with the budget you had I personally would go with this

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Skyliner 250PX Dobsonian

If its just for observing and not for astrophotography I think this would be ideal and probably the biggest aperture you can get for the money obviously I'm a beginner so I'd wait til you hear from the pro's on here and you'll get some sound advice

All the best

John

[EntropyStar]

Thanks John (Mod) and John!

I suppose upon looking at those Skywatcher 200 & 250 I'm thinking how sturdy are they on the ground? they look like they're going to fall over!

What's it like viewing through them for hours? Painful leaning over etc?

Recommended eyepeices? I do have frustratingly sensitive eyes and bad eye relief (is that it??) will make it very hard for me to see. Even grey days are too bright for me at times!

[Budgie]

If you're just starting out then I can recommend the Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT.

It has a good Go-To mount and is easily transportable. It's also cheap enough that you have money left to add other EPs, a camera or other kit if you want too.

It may not be the largest scope in your price range but it's good for planetary observations.

[EntropyStar]

If you're just starting out then I can recommend the Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT.

It has a good Go-To mount and is easily transportable. It's also cheap enough that you have money left to add other EPs, a camera or other kit if you want too.

It may not be the largest scope in your price range but it's good for planetary observations.

Thank you, yes I kinda just mentioned to the OH I was thinking £500-£600 and she went pretty wild (she had £200 in mind!) so I think it's certainly going to be more nearer the £500 bracket! I'd be quite happy getting a slightly low spec scope and getting better accessories as opposed to maxing all money out on the scope.

Planetary observations are the key....ie observing moons round Saturn, jupiter etc..

[lw24]

Hi,

If you want a telescope just for planetary and lunar observations, then a telescope like the Skywatcher Skymax 127 SupaTrack would be a good choice.

With this, you could get the Baader Hyperion 8-24mm Zoom eyepiece and a Tal 2x Barlow.

Clear Skies

Luke

[lw24]

Planetary observations are the key....ie observing moons round Saturn, jupiter etc..

Most amateur telescope will easily be able to show the moons of Saturn and Jupiter, but will show next to no detail on them (the moons). I trust you understand the limitations of amateur telescopes.

Please don't take this the wrong way and be put off from buying a telescope. They can still show you remarkable things, and you will be amazed at the views of Saturn and Jupiter.

Clear Skies

Luke

[EntropyStar]

Hi,

If you want a telescope just for planetary and lunar observations, then a telescope like the Skywatcher Skymax 127 SupaTrack would be a good choice.

With this, you could get the Baader Hyperion 8-24mm Zoom eyepiece and a Tal 2x Barlow.

Clear Skies

Luke

Thanks Luke......

What's the advantage of getting a zoom eyepeice like that? I didn't know you could get zooming eye peices.

Re your last post, yes I'm fully aware I'll be unable to see natural satellite surface details etc with my price range, for me it's more about making observational notes about their orbits etc. I'm not unrealistic in my expectations and aren't taken in by the manufactuers speil :-)

Thanks for the warning though :-)

[kev 102 42]

Id go 2nd hand,you can pick up some cracking deals off here off people who look after their kit................kev

[EntropyStar]

Id go 2nd hand,you can pick up some cracking deals off here off people who look after their kit................kev

That is something I'd happily do, I'm a little cynical of shop staff these days (please correct me if there's some excellent shops out there).

[lw24]

Thanks Luke......

What's the advantage of getting a zoom eyepeice like that? I didn't know you could get zooming eye peices.

Re your last post, yes I'm fully aware I'll be unable to see natural satellite surface details etc with my price range, for me it's more about making observational notes about their orbits etc. I'm not unrealistic in my expectations and aren't taken in by the manufactuers speil :-)

Thanks for the warning though :-)

Well, a zoom eyepiece replaces the need to get a set of fixed focal length eyepieces. For example, you could buy an 8mm eyepiece, a 12mm eyepiece, a 18mm eyepiece, and a 25mm eyepiece. Or instead, you could buy the 8-24mm Baader Zoom, which essentially has 'all of these in one'.

Fixed focal length Baader Hyperion eyepieces are extremely expensive, so to get a group to cover 8mm to 24mm would be extremely costly.

The Baader Hyperion Zoom provides you with simplicity, convenience, and quality (although a little less than fixed focal length hyperions).

However, the only recommended zoom eyepiece, is the Baader Hyperion Zoom, most others are significantly worse than fixed focal length eyepieces.

Clear Skies

Luke

[DOBBY]

The Skywatcher Skyliner 200p flex-tube Auto is around £460-£480 or the 250px flex-Auto £560...either can be placed on a water-butt stand with power-supply under to ease the back-ache problem.

As for eyepieces...try to join a local observing group...they will have a wide variety..ask nicely to try them in your 'scope...most peeps wont mind..see what suits your eyes...Try before you buy

[astro_al]

However, the only recommended zoom eyepiece, is the Baader Hyperion Zoom, most others are significantly worse than fixed focal length eyepieces.

What about the Televue Nagler zooms? These are excellent eyepieces.

If I had a £600 budget and was mainly interested in observing the planets I would buy a small refractor on a simple Alt-Az mount and just nudge it along. Easy to setup, cools down fast and doesn't take much storage.

[GeorgeB]

I'll also 2nd the earlier suggestion of a Mak 127. They have excellent optics and ideally suited to planetary / and double-stars. They've got a pretty long focal length, which means you can avoid using short focal length EP's which tend to have poor eye relief. The Celestron Nexstar or Skywatcher Skymax GOTO models are recommended. You would then have a couple of hundred quid left over for EP's and other accessories.

[johninderby]

The 127Mak is a great little scope with excellent optics. Small lightweight and very portable but enough aperture to give some great lunar / planetary views.

I have a 127 Mak on a photo tripod that I use as a grab'n'go set-up as it can be carried one handed outside fully set-up and ready to observe. Cool down time isn't too bad so you won''t have to wait too long before observing.

John

[lw24]

What about the Televue Nagler zooms? These are excellent eyepieces.

Yeah, sorry. What I meant to say, was that the Baader Zoom is the only decent zoom in its price range. Obviously, the Pentax zoom and Televue zooms are also very good, but they come at a price.

Clear Skies

Luke

[johninderby]

The Pentax XF zoom actually isn't much more than the Baader. A new one is the TS Planetary High Resolution Zoom. Bit smaller FOV than the Baader, but as good optically and costs about £120.00. Also physically about half the size of the Baader.

The TS is the zoom in the photo in my earlier post.

John

[M4lcs67]

Yeah. I vote for the 127 SLT Mak Cass as well. Nice, compact, easily transportable, easy to set up as well. With the additional funds you could also get some extra eyepieces / Barlow and a Maplin powertank to power the scope (will save loads on AA batteries).

[M4lcs67]

Hey Budgie. Not only do you have the same scope, but you are also blessed with some fantastically dark skies where you are. I am very jealous. At least with the Nexstar 127 being nice and compact I can transport it easily to darker skies.

All the best

Malc

[swamp thing]

Yeah, sorry. What I meant to say, was that the Baader Zoom is the only decent zoom in its price range.

The Meade series 4k zoom beat the Baader zoom in a S@N group test.

I would conclude it's no slouch and cheaper than the Baader as well.

Regards Steve

[Budgie]

Hey Budgie. Not only do you have the same scope, but you are also blessed with some fantastically dark skies where you are. I am very jealous. At least with the Nexstar 127 being nice and compact I can transport it easily to darker skies.

All the best

Malc

Not so dark skies at this time of year, although it's getting better and I can at least see Jupiter now.

Autumn & winter is great, if you get the a clear sky, and the council is going to be switching the street lights off at midnight so that'll make it even better.

[brantuk]

If you go for the dob you'll want a right angled finder and an ironing stool. Takes all the backstrain out of looking for stuff and makes it a pleasure to use. A telrad is also a usefull addition.

The best upgrade though is a Wixey angle guage for about £25 and a setting circle for the base. Very accurate pointing system and can be quicker to use than goto electronics. In combination with "Turn Left at Orion" (book) or "Stellarium" (software) for co-ordinates it makes a formidable dob setup. Best value for money imho

[lw24]

The Meade series 4k zoom beat the Baader zoom in a S@N group test.

I would conclude it's no slouch and cheaper than the Baader as well.

Regards Steve

That S@N group test was conducted when the Meade 4000 Zoom was made in Japan. It's now being made in China, and the quality is significantly worse than before.

[ollypenrice]

Your signature says Oxford so you should find it easy to get along to an astro soc and try a few scopes. The eyes are sensitive and variable so hands on experience goes a long way.

In astronomy there are very good shops as well as indifferent or bad ones. I have had great service from FLO, Ian King Imaging and Green Witch. These and one or two other names come up very frequently. Have a look at the Supplier Review board.

Olly